Monday, December 17, 2012

You may think you know what leadership looks like. Well, you may be
surprised. Here's a list of traits not required for project leadership.

• Herculean work effort. Those who work long hours
are often praised as loyal leaders who establish a "standard" to
emulate. But a person's effectiveness is the real measure of a true
leader. There is a difference between effectiveness and "being busy."

• Technical capability. Controlling the technical
direction of the project is certainly important, but this does not
equate to strong leadership. How often have members of the firm been
elevated to a position of leadership based on technical proficiency
alone?

• Intimidation. As a management style, intimidation
leads only to short-lived success. It also drives away followers, and
every leader needs followers in order to succeed.

• Reporting status to clients. This is an important role, but not a leadership role. A leader will go a step further and maintain a rapport with the client.

• Keeping record of who is responsible. A leader
will never make excuses like "The contractor didn't understand the job,"
or "Principals kept charging to the job." A good leader takes
responsibility for the project's success or failure.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Millennials, those born in the 1980s and 90s, are flowing into the
A-E industry like a tsunami. They’re diverse, work well in teams,
tech-savvy, and looking for fun. They come from a childhood with intense
schedules and structure, and often had hovering, “helicopter” parents.
Managing Millennials is slightly different than managing Gen-Xers,
and extremely different than working with Baby Boomers. Here are some
tips for overseeing this new professional generation:

1. Be a mentor. Millennial employees need guidance,
and they want to look at you as a leader, for both personal and
professional feedback. When developing your project work plans, include
some professional development time for coaching and instructing these
younger team members.

2. Allow a balance of work and life. Millennials
grew up watching their parents overloaded with work so that their kids
could be given every amenity and activity, and they don’t want to follow
in their footsteps. In addition to work, they want an active social
life, they want to volunteer in their communities, and they want to
enjoy hobbies and sports. Let them!

3. Use their computer skills. Whatever you think
you know about IT, WiFi, mobile computing, and the Cloud; Millennials
know more, and are faster. Take advantage of their tech-savvy talents to
enhance your team and the services to your clients. It might even be
fun to let them give some computer/mobile lessons to the older team
members.

4. Don’t be bothered by multi-tasking. Though it’s
still frowned upon in many offices, Millennials have an innate ability
to be on the phone with a client while, at the same time, checking
Facebook and texting with friends. As long as they are fulfilling their
job responsibilities, don’t let this bother you. In fact, it may even
make them more productive, because they’ll be enjoying themselves at
work.

5. Challenge them. Because they grew up with
over-structured schedules, Millennials get easily bored. Give them extra
work and opportunities. If they’re excelling at their tasks, allow them
to try something new.

6. Remain Structured. Despite Millennials’ desire and
ability for multitasking and a work-life balance, you’re still trying to
push a project through on time and on budget, so make sure that your
team and process are structured. Meetings and schedules must be taken
seriously. Assignments and action items must be clearly stated, with
formal feedback and assessment.

It has been estimated that as many as 75 million Millennials have
just entered or are about to enter the U.S. workforce. Not only will you
be managing a number of them on your project teams, you will be helping
to grow a future generations.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Wages, payroll taxes, 401k, Section 125, 529 Plans, health insurance
and other administrative roles need to be reliable and secured
transactions, which have always been the core responsibility of the
"Personnel Department." However, in the 21st century, Human Resources
(HR) has also acquired a strategic role.

HR is no longer simply a service provider but a strategic partner
with Principals and line managers. Performing HR activities in a
strategic manner may involve helping the organization prepare for
change, forecasting human capital needs that will be required to achieve
strategic goals, leading talent management, restructuring the
organization, and developing performance management systems that support
strategic objectives.

If you are an owner of a firm and want a strong HR Professional to be
your ally or, if you are an HR Professional who wants to have a career
path that leads to the Strategic Board Room, here is a list of essential
HR experience and personality traits:

• Strategic planning process

• Business management functions of planning, organizing, directing,
and controlling, then using those functions in a strategic way

• Managing change in a diplomatic way

• Risk management, including thorough knowledge of labor laws

• Employee relations and career path development

• Understanding of compensation and benefits coordination

• Understanding of budgeting, accounting, and financial concepts

• Ability to influence and motivate people

• Ability to change gears fast and often

• Credentialed by the Human Resources Certification Institute as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)

Keeping your workforce knowledgeable, skilled, productive and
engaged, saves companies a great deal of money. With the cost of
turnover estimated at 1.0 to 1.5 times that position's annual salary, it
pays to invest in a strategically focused Human Resources Director.